Reactor systems are capable of generating fuel from materials that are typically considered waste, such as liquid biomass, or unclean fuel sources, including coal and other fossil fuels. For example, a supercritical water gasification system may produce hydrogen-rich synthesis gas by reacting a coal slurry with supercritical water, which is water that is heated to very high temperatures (for instance, above about 400° C.) under high pressure (for instance, about 22 megapascals). Supercritical water is very reactive and is able to break down the slurry to generate the hydrogen-rich fuel. The fuel may be used for various purposes, such as powering an engine, producing electricity and generating heat.
Due to the harsh conditions that occur during the reaction process, system components are susceptible to corrosion and breaking down. Accordingly, the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of a reactor system is subject to the rate of corrosion of system components, such as heaters and reactor vessels that come into contact with reactor materials. Management of corrosion typically involves the constant replacement of corroded parts or constructing components from corrosion-resistant materials, which can be expensive and largely ineffective. It will therefore be desirable to reduce corrosion in reactor systems through the use of components configured to eliminate contact between system components and damaging reactor process elements.